The daily herald. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1886-1887, 1887-07-21
rrnms or SUBSCRIPTION
THURSDAY. July a., 1887.
rHE As1ATIc GRIEVANCE.

AuI fCOdIkS lnc Jtllti Jay vi Aht /
exclusion of the Asistics from the fran
ch'se was more appropriate even than
we calculated, for that very day an able
Japanese lawyer voiced the matter as
grievance of his own countrymcn as
well as Of the Chinese. The question
has now been fairly opened, and We
must admit with cnmmendable moder-
alton by the talented Asistic referred
to- 1t is now in order to consider
arguments for and against giving Asia
tics the franchise There is one strong
reason, that our Chinese friends will
find It very hard to answer, why they
should receive no such privilege as
some of them are asking. Foreigners
in their country receive only enforced
consideration, and that to very limit
ed degree China is known as much
by her policy Of exclusion toward men
and manners from the outside world,
as by any other fact regarding the
Empire. II would seem, therefore, to
be nothing more than salutary justice
above and beyond mere spirit Of re;
taliation. for other nations to say to
Chinese within their gates, ave are
prepared to accord you privileges equal
to those you grant people Of our race
in your country" Indeed, il is more
than doubtful that q race bred ssr-rfrrt
narrow exclusiyeness Of the Chinese is
fit to take its place in the free air OF
liberal Western institutions. Rather isl
it an automatic truth that such breed
ing should make its subjects altogether
ineligible for the privileges Of institu-
tons based on human equality. Just
as man is refused admission into any
ecclesiastical organization, the fLnda-
mental tenets OF which he positively
rejects, so does it appear naturally just
that people denying human equality
at home should be denied il abroad, at
least until their exclusive instincts we're
bred out Of them by long contact with
and experience Of more liberal theories
and practices than obtain in their own
land. Political freedom is a heritage
Of the Caucasian race, and gift from
that race to the Hawaiian. Had the
Chinese been the occupants of the soil
when the Caucasian came, they would
have had the boon rendered them, pro-
yided they accepted Caucasian ways
with alacrity such as the Hawaiians
displayed. The case stands about thus,
Hawaiians have civil rights by virtue
OF original tenure of the soil and Their
acceptance Of them. CaucasIans have
them because they established the ex
isting political system, working through
the primitive sovereignty here
The Chinese came here to furnish
labor on the plantations, being onl,
too willing to come for the wages
offered. They saved money enough t,
branch out INTO enterprises or thei
own account, and were admitted t,
commercial equality with all othe
nationalities, besides being accorded
equal civil rights with all other for
eigners under the old Constitution. w
do not know that they had not tn
same privileges as other aliens witt
respect to naturalization or denization
or that they have not the chance unde
the new Constitution of obtaining lei
tiers OF naturalization or denization
Certainly there has not been prohibi
ton Of AsIatics naturalizing, for tn
Japanese orator Of the other day Dor
testimony to his own admission to Ha
waiian citizenship. What rights hay
the Chinese been deprived Of by tn
new Constitution that they should com
plain' They are not in any wors'
position than before, and if they ar
well advised they will not agitate thei
apparent grievance. Designing person
for selfish purpose may seek 10 all,